This invention relates generally to corner protections, and in particular, to a corner protector for protecting a corner of an object such as a window or the like during shipment.
Heretofore, a wide variety of corner protectors have been manufactured to protect the corners of various types of objects such as windows or the like during shipment of the objects. However, these prior art corner protectors have significant drawbacks which limit their use and/or effectiveness. For example, prior art expanded polystyrene corner protectors are often perceived to be environmentally unfriendly. As is known, expanded polystyrene is not biodegradable, and hence, may be banned from landfills or the like. Many insurance companies refuse to allow their clients to store expanded polystyrene in factories and warehouses due to fire related concerns. As such, users of corner protectors have sought a more environmentally sound alternative to the expanded polystyrene products.
In order to address environmental concerns, corner protectors have been developed which are manufactured from other types of material such as molded pulp. However, these molded pulp corner protectors often times do not have sufficient strength to protect the corners of an object from possible damage during shipment thereof. Further, due to the substantial flexibility of products manufactured from molded pulp, these types of prior art corner protectors tend to be too flexible thereby compromising, the amount of protection provided for the corners of the object.
Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a molded pulp corner protector which optimizes the strength and the flexibility thereof in order to protect the corners of an object during shipment.
It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a corner protector which is inexpensive to manufacture and simple to utilize.
It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a corner protector which is biodegradable, and hence, environmentally friendly.
In accordance with the present invention, a corner protector is provided for protecting a corner of an object such as a window or the like. The corner protector includes a first end wall lying in a first plane. The first end wall has first and second sides and first and second ends. The second end wall lies in a second plane which is perpendicular to the first plane. The second end wall also has first and second sides. A first sidewall interconnects the first sides of the first and second end walls, and has an outer edge extending between the second ends of the first and second end walls. The outer edge includes a notch formed therein. A second sidewall interconnects the second sides of the first and second end walls. The second sidewall has an outer edge extending between the second ends of the first and second end walls. The outer edge of the second sidewall also includes a notch therein.
The first and second sidewalls of the corner protector include inner surfaces which define an object receiving cavity therebetween for receiving the corner of the object. A first support shoulder extends inwardly from the inner surface of the first sidewall. The first support shoulder is defined by an object engaging surface and an inwardly directed surface. A second support shoulder extends inwardly from the inner surface of the first sidewall. The second support shoulder is defined by an object engaging surface and an inwardly directing surface. The object engaging surface of the first support shoulder is generally perpendicular to the object engaging surface of the second support shoulder. Alternatively, the second support shoulder extends inwardly from the inner surface of the second sidewall. As such, the object engaging inner surface of the first shoulder lies in a parallel plane with the object engaging surface of the second support shoulder.
The notch in the outer edge of the first sidewall is defined by a first edge portion which is generally parallel to the first end wall and a second edge portion which is generally parallel to the second end wall. The first end wall includes the inner surface directed towards the object receiving cavity. The inner surface of the first end wall and the inner surface of the first sidewall are interconnected by a rib.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a corner protector is provided for protecting a corner of an object such as a window or the like. The corner protector includes a first sidewall lying in a first plane. The first sidewall has an inner surface and an outer edge which includes a notch formed therein. A second sidewall lies in a second plane. The second sidewall has an inner surface and an outer edge which includes a notch formed therein. A first support shoulder extends from the inner surface of the first sidewall. The first support shoulder is defined by an object engaging surface and an inwardly directing surface. A second support shoulder extends from the second sidewall. The second support shoulder is also defined by an object engaging surface and an inwardly directed surface. A connection element interconnects the first sidewall and a second sidewall such that the inner surfaces of the first sidewall and second sidewall define an object receiving cavity therebetween.
The connection element includes a first end wall having a first side interconnected to the first sidewall and a second side interconnected to the second sidewall. The first end wall further includes first and second opposite ends. A second end wall extends from the second end of the first end wall. The second end wall includes a first side interconnected to the first sidewall and a second side interconnected to the second sidewall. The second sidewall also includes first and second opposite ends. The first end of the second end wall is interconnected to the first end of the first end wall.
The outer edge of the first sidewall extends between the second ends of the first and second end wall. Similarly, the outer edge of the second sidewall extends between the second ends of the first and second end walls. The notch in the outer edge of the first sidewall is defined by a first edge portion and is generally parallel to the first end wall and a second edge portion which is generally parallel to the second end wall.
The first end wall also includes an inner surface directed towards the object receiving cavity. The inner surface of the first end wall and the inner surface of the first sidewall are interconnected by a rib. In addition, the object engaging surface of the first support shoulder lies in parallel planes with the object engaging surface of the second support shoulder.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, a corner protector is provided for protecting a corner of an object. The corner protector includes a first sidewall lying in a first plane. The first sidewall has an inner surface and an outer edge which includes a notch formed therein. The second sidewall lies in a second plane. The second sidewall has an inner surface and an outer edge which includes a notch formed therein. A first support shoulder extends from the inner surface of the first sidewall. The first support shoulder is defined by an object engaging surface and an inwardly directing surface. A second support shoulder extends from the inner surface of the second sidewall. The second support shoulder is defined by an object engaging surface and an inwardly directing surface. A first end wall has a first side interconnected to the first sidewall and a second side interconnected to the second sidewall. The first end wall further includes first and second opposite ends. A second end wall has a first side interconnected to the first sidewall and a second side interconnected to the second sidewall. The second sidewall further includes first and second opposite ends.
It is contemplated that the first end of the first end wall be interconnected to the first end of the second end wall. In addition, the first and second end walls are generally perpendicular to each other. The notch of the outer edge of the first sidewall is defined by a first edge portion which is generally parallel to the first end wall and a second edge portion which is generally parallel to the second end wall. The first end wall includes an inner surface directed towards the object receiving cavity. The inner surface of the first sidewall and the inner surface of the first end wall are interconnected by a rib. The object engaging surface of the first support shoulder lies in a plane parallel to the object engaging surface of the second support shoulder.